Translation in to english of Hindu Prayers written in Sanskrit, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi by P.R.Ramachander

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Shiva Panchanana Stotram

Shiva Panchanana stotram(Prayer to Lord Shiva with five faces)

Translated by P.R.Ramachander

(Normally Lord Shiva is worshipped as Shiva Linga. Shivalingas with five faces are also found in some places. The Names of the five faces are- Sadyojat, Vamdev, Aghoraa , Tatpurush and Îshana . The four faces of Lord Brahma represent knowledge of 1. creation, 2. sustenance, 3. dissolution and 4. spiritual experiences. The four faces of Shiva represent the four directions. The fifth face which points skywards is the universal face symbolic of purity and spiritual progresshttp://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/why-are-svayambhu-pindis-situated-below-the-ground-level.html This rare prayer in each stanza addresses each one of these five faces of Shiva. They are in this prayer identified with 4 Vedas as well as Om.)

I salute the western face of the ever stable God ,Who is everything and without any trace of stain,Who is as white as snow mountain, moon and the jasmine,Who is as shining as the foam of the boiling milk,Who has a body applied with white sacred ash,Who has eyes which burnt the body of god of love,Who is worshipped by Vishnu , Brahma and Ganas,And whose reverberations give rise to Rig Veda.

I salute the northern face of Lord Shiva,Which gives rise to the sound of Yajur Veda,Who is white and has a thilaka of Kumkum,Who shines with an extremely white neck,Who shines with shifting side long glances,Who is affectionate and has lips as red as a cherry,And who is pretty with his blue hair locks and his smile.

I salute the eastern face of the holder of the trident,Who is worshipped Sidhas, devas, asuras and their kings,Who has more shine than the Gold purified again and again,Who is the source of Sama Veda recited in regal tone,Who has red pretty lips of the colour of copper,And who has decorated his matted locks,With the crescent of the moon and a serpent.

I salute the southern face of the God of all,Which gives rise to the Atharva Veda,Who has the shine of black cloud , bee and Collyrium,Who has brown eyes which rotate,Who has teeth which are clearly seen in the shine in the light ,Of the Gem in the heads of the snakes which reside in his ears,And who has the shine of the crescent in the head decorated by the snake.

I salute that fifth face facing the sky of Iswara ,Which is divine and greater than greatest,Which is greater than the thirty six principles,That cannot be classified as clear or unclear,Which is meditated upon by great sages,As the greatest and deathless principle,Which is the origin of mantras like “Om”,And which is smaller than the smallest.

Than man who reads this great prayer,Addressed to the five faces of the great God,Without fail on the Pradosha days,Would travel in a pretty airplane to the town of Shiva,And would spend his time playing with Gods.